Analyzing spatiotemporal changes in wildfire regime and exposure across a Mediterranean fire-prone area

We evaluated the spatiotemporal changes in wildfire regime and exposure in a fire-prone Mediterranean area (Sardinia, Italy) in relation to changes in ignition patterns, weather, suppression activities, and land uses. We also used wildfire simulations to identify fine-scale changes in wildfire exposure of important features on the island. Sardinia experienced a sharp reduction in fire number and area burned between the periods 1980–1994 and 1995–2009. Despite this decrease, losses and fatalities from wildfires continue. This suggests that localized areas and seasons of high wildfire risk persist on the island. Our analysis showed (1) a reduction in area burned (60,000–20,000 ha/year) and ignitions (3,700–2,600 fires/year), (2) an advance of 15 days for the fire season peak, (3) an increase in spring temperatures, and (4) an increase in fire exposure for WUI areas. Little change was noted for land use types and associated fuels. Most likely the reduction in fire activity may be due to a combination of social factors and suppression capabilities. On the other hand, simulation modeling suggested pockets of high wildfire exposure in specific places. The combined empirical analyses and simulation modeling provided a robust approach to understanding the spatiotemporal dynamics of wildfire risk on the island.     

Nephelines from the Somma-Vesuvius volcanic complex (Southern Italy): crystal-chemical,structural and genetic investigations

Sixteen nephelines from different geological occurrences were sampled at the type-locality, the Somma-Vesuvius volcanic complex (southern Italy), and investigated for their chemistry and crystal structure obtained by both single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction. Nepheline-bearing samples are metamorphic or from magmatic ejecta and pumice deposits. The lower K contents characterize the pumice- and some metamorphic-derived nephelines, whereas the higher ones are found in some samples from magmatic nodules. The amount of the anorthite molecule, quite low on average, can be more variable in the metamorphic nephelines. The crystal-structure investigations on Somma-Vesuvius samples compare well with previous studies of natural nephelines. All 16 nepheline samples adopt space group P6₃. The observed lattice parameters vary between 9.9768–9.9946 Å (for a) and 8.3614–8.3777 Å (for c), respectively. Furthermore, chemical analysis revealed that all specimens exhibit an excess of Si relative the ideal Si:Al ratio of 1:1. The analysis of the T-O distances in our samples clearly indicates a distinct ordering process of aluminium and silicon on the tetrahedral sites which is an agreement with Loewenstein’s rule. A linear correlation between the distance of symmetry equivalent split atoms O(1)-O(1)’ and the T(1)-O(1)-T(2) tilt angle was observed. The average <B-O> (B = Na) distances of all crystals are very similar which is consistent with the outcome of the site population refinement indicating full occupancy with sodium. Oriented precession-type sections of reciprocal space indicated the presence of at least the most intense family of satellite peaks, demonstrating that this group of satellite reflections can occur not only in nephelines from pegmatites and ijolites but also in rocks from completely different petrological settings.     

Crystal structure of columbite under high pressure

The structural evolution of two columbites under pressure, one ferrocolumbite from Raode (Africa) and one manganocolumbite from Kragero (Norway), has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Structural investigations at high pressure have been carried out on samples which were preliminarily annealed to attain the complete cation-ordered state. For each crystal, five complete datasets have been collected from room pressure up to ca. 7 GPa. Structure refinements converged to final discrepancy factors R ranging between 5.2 and 5.8% for both the crystals. Structure refinements of X-ray diffraction data at different pressures allowed characterisation of the mechanisms by which the columbite structure accommodates variations in pressure. A and B octahedral volumes in both samples decrease linearly as pressure increases, with a larger compression of the larger A site. The difference in polyhedral bulk moduli of the A sites for the two samples does not appear to relate directly to the octahedral sizes, the A site being more compressible in the Fe-rich sample than in the Mn-rich one. By far the most compressible direction in both the analysed samples is along b. The cations are in fact free to move along this direction, thus allowing the octahedral chains to slide over each other; this effect is particularly evident in the manganocolumbite sample which shows a steep shortening of interchain A–B distances along b.     

First-principles calculation of H/D isotopic fractionation between hydrous minerals and water

Hydrogen fractionation laws between selected hydrous minerals (brucite, kaolinite, lizardite, and gibbsite) and perfect water gas have been computed from first-principles quantum-mechanical calculations. The β-factor of each phase was calculated using the harmonic phonon dispersion curves obtained within density functional theory. All the fractionation laws show the same shape, with a minimum between 200 °C (brucite) and 500 °C (gibbsite). At low temperatures, the mineral/liquid water fractionation laws have been obtained using the experimental gas/liquid water fractionation laws. The resulting fractionation laws systematically overestimate measurements by 15‰ at low temperatures to 8‰ at ≈400 °C. Based on this general agreement, all calculated laws were empirically corrected with reference to brucite/water data. These considerations suggest that the experimental or natural calibrations by Xu and Zheng (1999) and Horita et al. (2002) (brucite/water), Gilg and Sheppard (1996) (kaolinite/water), Wenner and Taylor (1973) (lizardite/water), and in some extents Vitali et al. (2001) (gibbsite/water) are representative of equilibrium fractionations. Besides, internal isotopic fractionation of hydrogen between inner-surface and inner hydroxyl groups has been computed for kaolinite and lizardite. The obtained fractionation is large, of opposite sign for the two systems (respectively, −23‰ and +63‰ at 25 °C) and is linear in T^-2. Internal fractionation of hydrogen in TO phyllosilicates might thus be used in geothermometry.     

高精度地下水示踪技术及其应用——以毛村地下河流域为例

笔者以桂林毛村岩溶地下河流域的示踪试验为例, 探索高精度地下水示踪方法在岩溶水文地质研究中的应用。实践证明, 该方法较传统示踪方法具有较大优势。试验中, 从地下河主出口回收I号示踪剂为34%, 地下水平均流速为35.3 m/h, 全部回收率约为60%~70%。示踪结果证实毛村地下河流域具有典型河间地块特征, 存在多个排泄出口, 水文地质边界较复杂; 主出口处示踪剂浓度变化呈宽域多峰, 说明具有多管道、沿途多个较大溶潭特征; II号示踪剂在所有接收点都没有收到, 其原因较为复杂和不确定。枯季部分地下水有沿西南方向断层排泄迹象, 雨季是否存在较大径流, 还需用示踪试验来证实; 流量不均衡, 排泄区可能存在潜流。     

Tremolite–calcite veins in the footwall of the Simplon Fault,Antigorio Valley,Lepontine Alps (Italy)

The lowermost units of the nappe pile of the Lepontine Alps crop out in the Antigorio valley in the footwall of the Simplon Fault. The whole orthogneiss section of the Antigorio Unit is exposed on both sides of the valley, sandwiched between the Mesozoic metasedimentary sequences of the Baceno unit below and the Tèggiolo unit above. The petrography and mineral composition of tremolite–calcite veins occurring in dolomite marble in both metasedimentary sequences were investigated. Tremolite–calcite (with lesser talc and minor phlogopite) veins have rhythmic banded texture. Banding is due to cyclic differences in modal abundances and fabric of tremolite and calcite. These veins are very similar to those occurring in dolomite rafts within the Bergell granite and it is inferred that they formed by the same “fracture-reaction-seal” mechanism. Veins formed by reaction of a silica-rich aqueous fluid with the host dolomite marble along fractures. According to thermo-barometric calculations, based on electron microprobe analyses, reaction occurred at temperatures between 450 and 490°C and minimum pressure of 2–3 kbar. Such temperature conditions occurred in this footwall region of the Simplon Fault Zone around 15 Ma, during exhumation and cooling of the nappe pile and a transition to brittle behaviour. Aqueous, silica-rich fluids concentrated along fractures, forming tremolite–calcite veins in the dolomite marbles and quartz veins in the orthogneiss.     

Model-based characterization of permeability damage control through inhibitor injection under parametric uncertainty

Computational Geosciences - Damage in subsurface formations caused by mineral precipitation decreases the porosity and permeability, eventually reducing the production rate of wells in plants...